Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Expanded Fast-Track Deportations Nationwide

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s efforts to significantly expand the speedy deportation of undocumented migrants across the United States. The ruling, issued on Friday, marks a substantial setback for President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to dramatically increase deportations during his second term.

U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, temporarily blocked the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) plan to apply the federal expedited removal statute to undocumented migrants detained in the interior of the country. This expansion would have allowed for the rapid removal of individuals without a prior appearance before an immigration judge, a process previously limited to those apprehended within 100 miles of the border and residing in the U.S. for less than 14 days.

In her 48-page opinion, Judge Cobb sharply criticized the administration’s legal argument, stating that “those who entered the country illegally are entitled to no process under the Fifth Amendment, but instead must accept whatever grace Congress affords them.” She warned that such an interpretation would put “not only noncitizens, but everyone” at risk, emphasizing that prioritizing speed could lead to erroneous removals and infringe upon individuals’ due process rights.

The Trump administration had announced its intention to expand expedited removal shortly after taking office in January, aiming to achieve a goal of 1 million deportations annually. This policy has faced immediate legal challenges from groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and other immigrant rights organizations.

This latest injunction follows an earlier ruling this month by Judge Cobb, who also temporarily blocked the administration’s attempt to fast-track deportations for immigrants who had legally entered the U.S. under humanitarian parole. In that instance, she found that DHS had exceeded its statutory authority, noting that the perils faced by these immigrants outweighed any harm from pausing the administration’s plans.

The judge’s decision ensures that a broad category of migrants will continue to have access to full legal proceedings, reaffirming constitutional protections against a “skimpy process” for those residing within the country’s interior.

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